LANSING – After 10 days and nearly 2,000 photos of Michigan beaches submitted to Pure Michigan through Instagram, Twitter and michigan.org, the grand prize photograph in the Pure Michigan Beach Instagram Challenge was announced today. The winning photo, submitted by Gina Ferwerda of Silver Lake, features kayakers on Lake Michigan at Silver Lake Sand Dunes.

The kayakers in the photo are Ferwerda’s daughter, Ariana, and her friends on their last day at the beach together before high school graduation.

“As I was capturing this moment, I knew how much they would treasure this photo one day thinking back to these carefree days,” Ferwerda said. “Pure Michigan to me is the best state for spectacular seasonal activities and I was happy to showcase the beauty of my hometown and the Silver Lake Sand Dunes.”

In total, 1,933 photos were submitted during the 10-day Instagram challenge. The goal of the challenge – a joint effort between Pure Michigan, the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) – was to showcase the variety of beaches in Michigan, as well as the types of activities that travelers and residents can enjoy during a day at the beach.

To view the complete gallery of photos submitted during the contest visit michigan.org/beachchallenge. Daily challenge winners were shared on the Pure Michigan Instagram page and can also be found on the Pure Michigan blog. Daily winners were as follows:

Each of the daily challenge winners received a Personal Sun Care Kit from the Pure Michigan Store. As the grand prize winner, Ferwerda received an “Ultimate Pure Michigan Beach Day” package that will include a beach towel, a fire pit, a tackle box, a cooler and a sun care kit among other prizes.

Pure Michigan is a brand representing business, talent and tourism initiatives across Michigan. These efforts are driven by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which serves as the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business growth, jobs and opportunity with a focus on helping grow Michigan’s economy.